Standing on the Shoulders of Giants ~ Jacquolyn McMurray

Photo by Evan Wise on Unsplash

Issac Newton once said, "If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants."  

Is there any creative out there who can honestly say they have never utilized the wisdom of those who came before us?

I know I can't.

Personally, I'm clear that any successes I've had on my writing journey can be attributed to my writing community.

When I started my writing journey in my early twenties, I had no appreciation for the advantages of being part of a writing community. Maybe that's because I was too self-conscious to admit that one of my dreams was to become a published author.  I imagined that writing was a solitary pursuit, and although many parts of the process ARE solitary, it's the time interacting with other writers and writing teachers that has sustained me for decades. Left on my own, the critic in my head would have eventually won out and I would have abandoned my dream.

It wasn't until 2001 that writing became a routine part of my life all because we teachers went on strike. Prompted by the unity a strike affords, a group of teachers decided that when we were not on the picket line, we would do some writing exercises together to pass the time.  

Voila! My first writing group was established.

We made a commitment to meet once a month to explore writing. In the beginning, we did a lot of Natalie Goldberg writing exercises, shared our writing, gave one another feedback, and dutifully studied the hefty Writers' Market for places to send our work. During spring and summer breaks from school, we'd rent a place for a weekend retreat away from our families. We took writing classes, entered contests, collected rejections, and forged forward. 

Nineteen years later, the two of us who remain in the group are multi-published authors who continue to take classes and embrace the knowledge of our favorite writing gurus.

A big part of my writing community are author friends I've met at conferences and writers' retreats. We are bonded through our love of creating and willingness to learn from those who came before us.

I am forever grateful to all those who supported and encouraged me in my dream of becoming a published author.